Sports briefs

Phelps cruises to victory in butterfly race

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Even Michael Phelps can be wimpy about the weather.

The superstar from the Beijing Olympics clobbered the competition in the 200-meter butterfly at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix on Friday night.

Phelps touched first in 1 minute, 54.31 seconds, beating the field by 5.67 seconds.

He rarely swims outdoors, so the cool, windy evening wasn't exactly to his liking. Then he had to wait to retrieve his clothes after the event, when the basket containing them ended up at the other end of the pool.

"I'm freezing," he said. "It's a lot warmer in the water."

Phelps' time lowered the meet record of 1:55.93 set by Davis Tarwater last year and earned him a $100 reward.

"I felt awesome the first 50," he said. "I felt the wind the third 50. I was really happy with the time. It's my second-fastest in-season time ever. I'm in some kind of shape."

Phelps owns the world record of 1:52.03 set in Beijing, where he won a record eight gold medals.

David Mosko was second in 1:59.98, making him and Phelps the only men in the nine-swimmer final to go under 2 minutes.

GM cutting back its NASCAR funding

BROOKLYN, Mich. — General Motors has told NASCAR teams it is cutting back on its support in all of the sanctioning body's professional series.

Among the teams already notified that they will lose funding are JR Motorsports, owned by Sprint Cup star Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kevin Harvick Inc., co-owned by Cup star Harvick and his wife, DeLana. JRM races in the second-tier Nationwide Series, while KHI has entries in Nationwide and the third-tier Camping World Truck Series. Cuts are also expected in the top-tier Sprint Cup series.

Chevrolet spokesman Terry Rhadigan said Friday that GM, reorganizing through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, said cuts would be made soon.

"Our discussions are indeed NASCAR-wide," he said. "(But) Racing is still in Chevrolet's DNA, and I don't think that's going to change."

Vickers takes pole position in Michigan

BROOKLYN, Mich. — Brian Vickers has won the pole for the LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

It was the eighth pole of his Cup career and third of the season for the Red Bull Racing driver. Vickers posted a lap of 189.110 mph Friday on the 2-mile Michigan oval that will host Sunday's race. Runner-up Kyle Busch wasn't close at 188.536.

Three-time reigning Cup champion Jimmie Johnson was third at 188.299, followed by David Reutimann at 188.137, Kurt Busch at 187.950 and AJ Allmendinger at 187.891.

— Staff and wire services